Adaptations
Starter
2 February 2025
• For each of the following environments
what might be important to consider if you
are going to survive?
DESERT ARCTIC
Spot the difference
DESERT ARCTIC
• Skinny (thin layers of body fat), • Compact round shape (thick
keep nearly all their fat in their layers of blubber), well insulated
humps. Large surface area : & energy store. Small surface
volume. area : volume.
• Large feet (easy movement). • Large feet (Spread the load).
• Sandy colour (camouflage). • White colour (camouflage)
• Short hair (keeping cool). • Thick hairy coats (greasy too!!)
2 February 2025
Adaptations
By the end of the lesson I will be able to:
•Identify the role of adaptation in animal and
plant survival.
•Describe examples of animals and plants which
are adapted to survive in particular
environments.
Adaptation
What is adaptation?
Adaptations are how
organisms have evolved
biologically to become
‘more suited’ to their habitat
or their ‘lifestyle’
Crocodiles are adapted to
being predators by having
sharp teeth.
Organisms can also have
developed adaptive
behaviour to increase their
chance of survival.
Penguins huddle together to
reduce the amount of heat
energy they lose.
Plant Adaptations – Desert Plants
Plants that live in deserts
are adapted to reduce the
amount of water they
lose.
Cacti often have no or
highly adapted (thin)
leaves, this reduces the
amount of water lost through
the stoma.
They also have a small
surface area compared to
their size to stop water
loss.
A cactus plant stores its
water in the thick stem.
Plants that do this are Some cacti have shallow wide
classed as succulent spreading roots and others deep
plants. roots to access any water
available.
Plant Adaptations – Predators
Some plants and animals are adapted to protect
themselves from predators –
ROSES & CACTI Spines and thorns.
KEEPS THEM SAFE!!
TORTOISES
BRING
Rock hard shells. IT!!
KEEPS THEM SAFE!!
Work to do
• Visit the 6 information
stations
• Read the information and
summarise in your tables
• 3 minutes at each station
Mini Plenary
1. Which animal has a small surface area
compared to volume?
2. How do we know caribou are mammals?
3. Why do cacti have a waxy cover?
4. Does the arctic willow grow high or low?
5. What feature of elephants shows they
are adapted to living hot places?
Questions
1. Reindeer live in the arctic circle.
Their fur is hollow. Each hair is a
tube. How is this an adaptation to
life in the cold?
2. Why is it important for animals to
keep a constant temperature?
1. Cactus plants can
live Adapt and
in hot, dry deserts.
Survive - Plenary
Choose two labelled parts.
Explain how each of these
leav es parts help the cactus to
survive in hot, dry
ste m
conditions.
ro o ts Part ..................................
Explanation ........................................
.............
...........................................................
.................
Part .................................
Explanation ........................................
............. (Total 4 marks)
Plenary - Mark
Scheme
o of:
mark
TTE) roots; (extent of roots must be overt in answer) 1
sorb / get water / moisture;
ients: reject food:
o mark
TTE) / spiky leaves; (reduced size of leaves must be overt in answer) 1
ater loss / keep water in;
rence to protection from herbivores
mark
(OWTTE) stem (enlarged size of stem must be overt in answer) 1
k/waxy cuticle/skin;
TTE) water/ moisture;
[4]
2 February 2025
Plenary
How have we done?
•Identify the role of adaptation in animal and
plant survival.
•Describe examples of animals and plants which
are adapted to survive in particular
environments.
True or false?
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